Fire Flower
by MonarqueMyste
Summary: How hard is it to raise a human girl as a Yautja female? Pretty hard, considering all their differences but also their similarities. Read to find out about all the adjustments two worlds have to make.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A young girl with black hair and green eyes lay on her back in the cold dark forest. She carefully licked her cracked and swollen lips. Her breathing was very shallow as she looked up through one of her heavy lids at the full silver moon that was twinkling through some of the tree branches. Her other eye was swollen shut from a beating that she had taking only moments earlier.

Her attackers had left her for dead or to be consumed by the beasts of the forest. No one would hear her screams except for the animals. She knew that her husband had been the one to do this horrible deed. He left her with only her nightgown and underwear on. Not that either of which would do any good against the cool fall air. Her nightgown was tattered and bloodied from the beating he had given her.

She attempted to move one of her arms but felt nothing but sharp pain searing through it. She tried to move one of her legs but cried out in pain. Hot tears fell down her face as she realized that this was going to be her last night on this earth.

Her thoughts drifted to her abdomen which contracted in pain from several bruises. She thought about her unborn child that she would never get the chance to see and that would never have the chance to be born.

As she continued to lie on the cold ground, she could have sworn that she saw a ghost moving towards her. She knew that this was it. Her time had come to an end. She heard it growl as it knelt down beside her. Then she heard purring coming from it as the ghost began to lift her off the ground.

She cried out in pain as she felt her broken limbs being moved and the ghost continued to purr as it cradled her close to it. It walked through the thick woods until she saw a bright light shinning ahead of them. She thought that the ghost was taking her to heaven so her body would no longer feel any pain and that, per chance, her child might have a chance to be born and live up in heaven.

She slowly looked around and saw smoke and what appeared to be metal walls. She saw other creatures wandering around with armor on and face masks that concealed who they were.

_If this is suppose to be the way to heaven, then what is this? A gateway to heaven? _She thought as she was taken to a room and laid down on a cold metal table. She let out a small whimper as the ghost revealed itself and attempted to straighten her limbs but was unsuccessful.

She heard a door open and saw another one just like the ghost walking into the room. She listened as they conversed in what sounded like a guttural debate. Her ghost pointed at her and gave, what sounded like, an order. The other one appeared to be arguing with her ghost and she knew it was over her.

She felt her ghost lay a hand on her undamaged leg and give it a gentle pat and a squeeze. Then her ghost released her leg and walked out of the room, leaving her to the mercy of another ghost.

She watched as the other ghost produced a syringe with some sort of green substance inside it. He was about to inject her arm with the foreign substance but laid a hand on her head, which was shaking in fear, and turned her head away from him. She felt the needle go into the side of her neck and she tensed as the liquid was injected into her body, burning as it flowed into her body.

She felt her eyelids grow heavy as she drifted off into a deep slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Are you out of your mind?" the yautja doctor, Yeyinde, asked after the human female had fallen into a deep slumber.

"No. I am thinking very clear headed" the leader, Da'dtou-di, stated as he sat down in a chair beside the sleeping female's examination table.

"But, why would you bring this human on board for me to repair and then set free?" Yeyinde questioned as he watched Da'dtou-di watch the young human female while she slept peacefully.

He knew the injection that he had given her moments ago would take several hours to restore her to pristine health. He could not understand why his dear would want to heal a badly beaten human, even if she was a female human who was capable of reproducing hosts to make xenomorphs for the hunts.

"Because, my dear friend, she is pregnant. No pregnant female, no matter what the circumstances are, should be harmed in such a brutal way. Whoever did this damage to her body was not normal…not human by any means" Da'dtou-di stated calmly.

"Ah, now I understand. You were always capable of seeing things faster than most" Yeyinde said as he quickly reexamined her body with his infrared and saw that his friend was correct in his initial analysis.

"I am glad you do. I plan to have her healed and make her my slave until the child is born. Then, I will allow her to rest and recuperate for a little while before making her resume her duties to me. This will also serve as a way for her to repay her debt towards me for saving her life and the life of her unborn child" Da'dtou-di said as he moved his hand to his belt and removed a metal armband from it.

The armband was shiny silver band done in a Celtic knot style. In the center of the bracelet was a small red piece that resembled a ruby but was actually a translator that would translate her words into his and his words into hers. He had a feeling that it would be much easier this way than trying to teach her their complex language or him having to learn hers.

"Being that she will be the only slave on board, does this mean that she will be under everyone's command or just yours?" Yeyinde questioned as he watched Da'dtou-di place the armband on her upper arm and latch it so she would not be able to remove it. He knew that his friend would laugh his question off because his question was not meant to be taken seriously.

"Now you know the answer to that without having to ask me" Da'dtou-di chuckled after he latched the armband around her arm and stood up.

"Yes, I figured as much. From what I see of her, she is quite a small creature, not exactly the type who is built for survival" Yeyinde stated as he examined the sleeping human female with more intensity.

"True, but she can still perform small slave tasks with little to no difficulty. I do not foresee any problems with having a slave on board the ship. It would actually be nice to have some change of scenery instead of seeing the same males every single day" Da'dtou-di chuckled loudly before walking towards his friend and then he placed a hand on Yeyinde's shoulder.

"Yes, she should prove to be very interesting…for everyone" Yeyinde agreed as he clicked his mandibles together.

"Good! Come, let us feast" Da'dtou-di stated as he removed his hand from Yeyinde's shoulder and walked out of the recovery room, Yeyinde following after he made sure the recovery room door was closed and securely locked.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As Da'dtou-di sat in the chair beside the sleeping human female's bed, he began to ponder as to why anyone would want to harm a pregnant female or any female for that matter. He could think of far more pleasurable things to do with a female and injuring them was not one of them.

He watched as she turned over in her sleep and curled up in the fetal position. He knew that he should be resting but, his thoughts were plagued by the many questions he had in his mind for her. Sleep was never much of a desire for him. It was always the hunt that fueled his blood and made his heart pound harder than any amount of sleep that he could obtain.

Even a female could not fuel his blood so hotly. Well, only one female could bring his desire to being full blown. That female was Sanah, who was the leader of one of the tribes. She had given him many strong sons, but no daughters. He knew she craved a daughter in order to be able to carry on the bloodline of being tribe leader, just as her mother had done and her mother's mother before and so forth.

Sanah was smaller and younger than most females but her words spoke wisdom beyond her years and size. She stood only an inch shorter than his seven foot stance but was very capable of throwing him across the room if he was refusing to listen to her words, which he did so deliberately just to see what she would do. But, he only did that occasionally because he hated having an enraged female threatening to tear him limb from limb.

Her hair hung down to the floor in long twisted braids with silver bands wrapped on each of the locks. She had a lean body that would make the gods want her, even after she had given him twenty healthy sons.

She always had a unique smell about her that drove him crazy. It was not a heavy musk odor that many females carried on them but, it was a light musk odor that reminded him of some perfumes that human females sprayed on them to make them appear and smell more attractive to potential males who may or may not became their mates later on down the road.

The last time he saw her, they mated, and he had to leave out to go on the hunt again. He knew that he left her pregnant again just by the way she acting the next morning. She was very irritated with him that he would rather be on the hunt so quickly than to stick around for a few more days.

But, against his better judgment, he stayed for another week and was very surprised at how much he had forgotten when he lived with his mother during his younger years. He had forgotten how much work there was for each of the clan members to do. All the minor repairs that needed to be done to their homes so they would be a safe and secure haven for the new pups to mature and the agricultural section where their food was harvested for the each of the clan members to survive on.

While he was there with his crewmembers, they all assisted with hunting for meat and trying to locate fresh fruits so the clan could eat them, remove the seeds from inside, and dry the seeds out for the next round of planting for the harvest. The clan always had four different sections of where their food grew so this way they could rotate between the different seasons and always have a fresh supply of fruits and vegetables.

Their homes were located up in Dt, tree, and was made to appear as part of it. It was made out of wood, vines, and massive waterproof leaves. Their homes extended up through the various branches with smaller domains located up in the higher limbs. The main section of the house was located at the center of the tree, about ten feet from the ground, and was built around the center.

There were trees that were mainly grown for the purpose of building their homes. Those trees had thick vines that grew around the tree's limbs and the large waterproof leaves grew on these trees. When the tree was ready to be harvested, a large group of females would go and cut the tree down.

Some of the females would unravel the vines and put them off to the side. Some would gather the broken limbs and branches while the others would cut the tree into large sections. The large sections would be taken to the new home site along with the vines. They would then take the large sections up the tree and tie them together with the vines. The vines would also be used to support the home to the tree. The limbs and branches would normally be used to patch up any holes or gaps along with some Tjau'ke, packed dirt that would be mixed with other substances to create clay that rain could not wash away or penetrate. Afterwards, they would take the large leaves and remaining vines and lay them over the top of the home, creating a waterproof roof.

After their week together, he finally told Sanah that the crew and he had to leave to go on the hunt. His job was to take some of the unblooded males on their first true hunt, the Kainde Amedha Chiva, the hard meat trial. Many of the younger generation males had tasted the success of Pyode Amedha, soft meat or human, but had yet to be on the hard meat trial.

Sanah understood and said her goodbyes to him and his crew for all their help during that week.

That had been about three months ago and now they were leaving the planet called Earth. He was on a mission to find a very elusive bad blood, who had been terrorizing various planets and their inhabitants. No one knew his name but they all described him exactly the same. Bigger than any male they had ever seen and had an even deadlier temper.

His thoughts were drawn back to the present when he heard the young human girl groan as she attempted to sit up. He gathered that she was still very sore from the rapid healing of her bones.

"Ah, good. You are awake, little one" Da'dtou-di stated as he got out of his chair and helped her to sit up. She stiffened in response to his assistance and tried to resist his help.

"You need not fear me" he said as he recognized the smell of fear that her body was emitting.

"How can I be so sure of that?" she softly asked as her breathing increased along with her fear of this man who was helping to sit up.

Once she was sitting up, she examined him more closely and realized that he was no man. He was an alien. A very big alien at that. She guessed his height to be close to seven feet tall and weighing at least four hundred pounds of pure muscle. He wore very little that could keep any woman's imagination from running wild.

All over his body he wore some sort of strange fishnet. He wore a metal loin clothe that went down to his knees, metal shoulder pads, and a metal mask that had a strange insignia on the forehead.

On his wrists she saw metal bracelets that took up half his arm. One of bracelets had a set of twin daggers attached to it while the other one had, what appeared to be, a miniature laptop computer. She looked at his hands and found that he had longer fingernails than most women would have. His hands were larger enough to crush anyone that was unlucky enough to be caught in his path. She was, for certain, not wanting to be the one in his line of fire.

Down his back flowed long coal black dreadlocks that had silver bands wrapped around each individual dreadlock. She could see, what appeared to be some sort of spear, which was attached to his back. She figured it must be a short spear because it didn't go past his waist.

"Now, if you are through with the examination of my body, I would like to ask you a few questions" he asked as he returned back to his chair.

She was taken aback by his obvious amusement and bluntness. She hadn't meant to stare nor be caught staring.

"Yes, I am done sir" she said as she lowered her eyes to look into her lap.

"Excellent. What name do I call you?" Da'dtou-di questioned, trying to contain his laughter. He knew why she stared at him. Most humans never lived to see a full grown Yautja arbitrator.

"My name is Sahara" she stuttered as she tried not to look at him.

"Sahara, I am called Da'dtou-di, Little Knife. I am what is known as a Yautja arbitrator" he figured a little honesty could go a long way with her, considering that she deathly afraid of him.

"You're not human" Sahara murmured.

"No, I am not. Next question, do you remember what happened to you last night?" Da'dtou-di asked as he leaned back in his seat and put his hands behind his head.

"Must I relive that horrible nightmare?" Sahara was not sure if she should be answering a question with a question but she did so anyway.

"Yes" was all he said.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sahara closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. She figured the best place to start was at the very beginning.

"It all started when…" Sahara began.

FLASH BACK

Sahara gazed lovingly at, Simon Regan, the man she adored. He had red hair and sky blue eyes. Simon stood about six feet tall and had a weight-lifters' body.

He was wealthy and powerful beyond anyone's comprehension, unlike herself who came from a poor community and could barely afford to eat once a day. If it had not been for the fact that both her parents worked full-time jobs and she worked part time, there would not even be enough to feed and shelter her small family.

She couldn't believe her luck. She had landed the most attractive man who was thought to be a confirmed bachelor for years. They started seeing each other about two years ago, when she was sixteen and working as a café waitress who lived off what few tips she received, and he had been unfailingly loyal to her. He insisted on showing her off to all of his friends, claiming that she was the one and he was going to wait until she was old enough for him to marry.

Now, here she was, walking down the isle to meet her soon to be husband. She thought he looked so handsome in his crisp black tuxedo and bow tie. His red hair was slicked back with heavy amounts of hair gel. His smile was so bright that it could light up the darkest of rooms.

She was dressed in a stunning fairy/fantasy style dress made in silk dupion with organza sleeves and layers over the skirt. The boned bodice used a totally unique and unusual shaping of points and scoops on the neckline and waistline. It had alace up feature on the front; a lace up back along with it being intricately decorated with hand painted and beaded flowers and leaves.

The full skirt used gathers, a net petticoat and swathes of organza to create a full and indulgent look and feel. The organza is gathered with hand painted, beaded and structured flowers. The train was approximately six feet long and she could have made it longer or shorter but decided against it.

Sahara may have been dressed like a princess out of some classic fairytale novel and it had taken her months to plan the entire event, but within a few short hours the magic was over and the nightmare began. The nightmare that both her father and mother had been concerned about the entire time. They both had tried to talk her out of getting married to Simon and even made him wait until she was older, just to see if she would change her mind and see in him what they saw.

But, Sahara was very stubborn and tried her best to reassure her parents that he was every bit the prince charming that she was in love with. She was just too young to see what she was truly getting herself involved with…a monster. She was blinded by love and looked at him through rose-colored glasses. At the time, she didn't think that he could do any wrong.

Boy was she ever wrong about that. That night, after the wedding and reception were over with, Sahara thought it was going to be a dream wedding night for the both of them. Instead, after they got home, he got out of the car and left her sitting there. It took her about twenty minutes to realize that he was not coming back to retrieve her and carry her over the threshold into his massive estate.

So, she opted to get out of the car and walk into the house. After opening the door, she found him sitting at his desk, working. She was so enraged to find him there that she started to question him as to why he would do such a thing on their wedding night. He told her to shut up and mind her own damn business.

Sahara was taken aback by this new side of him that she pressed him harder for a straight answer. He got out of his chair and closed the space between them, telling her that if she knew what was good for her that she would not question him further. But, her irritation with the situation made her question his motives a third time and that's when the back of his hand came across her face, making her crumble to the floor and see stars.

The last thing she remembered him doing to her was throwing the skirt of her wedding dress over her head and forcefully penetrating her innocent body. Hot tears fell down the sides of her face as he grunted and groaned before finally climaxing inside her body.

After he was finished with her that's when he told her that he was merely using her to build his own reputation as a "family man" and that he felt nothing for her. As far as he was concerned, he pulled her out of the gutters and she owed him for that. After he made that statement, he walked back over to his desk and went back to work.

Sahara very carefully and with shaking hands pushed her skirt back down over her legs, crying the whole time. Simon informed her that if she could not keep quiet that he would tie her up in another room and put a gag in her mouth. She rose from the floor and went to their bedroom. The last thing she wanted was to be bound and gagged.

She stripped out of her dress and under garments and proceeded to the master bathroom. She took a look at herself in the mirror and saw a massive bruise appearing of her face. She looked down at her thighs and saw smears of blood from where he had violated her body. At that moment, she barely recognized the girl that she had been moments ago.

Her waist length coal black curls that had been beautifully pinned up, now hung in disarray. Her lime-green eyes were now bright and red-rimmed from the tears she had shed. Her pale alabaster skin now looked deathly pale and almost translucent.

How could she have been so blind? She asked herself for two years.

The beatings were not regular but they were sometimes very rough. He never broke a bone in her body, but he did leave bruises on her and he always violated her afterwards. He never once allowed her touch him because he told her that she was less than gutter trash and was not worthy enough for that.

She tried to leave him once, but he had hired men to bring her back. He had been very angry with her and pulled out a whip. He vented out his angry on her naked body while his cohorts watched. After he was through with his fun, he and his men left the room while she laid in the middle of the floor, bleeding and crying. It was actually one of his maids who had come to her rescue that night and cleaned her up. She could not remember the maid's name or what she looked like because her mind had blanked out halfway through the ordeal.

One month later, Sahara found out she was pregnant with Simon's child and that it was it turned deadly. After informing him of her pregnancy that night, he took a knife and grabbed a massive handful of her black hair. He used the knife and chopped off massive chunks of her hair; all the while Sahara screamed and cried, begging him not to hurt the baby.

After he chopped off most of her hair and made it as short as a pixie cut, he tied her hands behind her and blindfolded her. He didn't want her to find her way home if she survived. After he made her walk barefooted and in her night gown for several miles, he shoved her down to the ground and removed her blindfold. That's when the final beating took place, breaking several of her ribs and dislocating her shoulder. She knew it took less than thirty minutes for him to destroy her body beyond repair but, to her, it felt like an eternity.

END FLASH BACK

"And after looking up at the moon for a moment, that's when I saw a ghost and that ghost carried me here" Sahara stated as hot tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I was the ghost who carried you. But, as you can see, I am no ghost and you are very much alive thanks to Yeyinde and his powerful healing injection that he gave you. If I had not arrived when I did, both you and your child would not be here" Da'dtou-di stated as he stood up.

He had a hard time believing that any male mate could be that cruel to a female, but he knew from her voice and her body language that what she spoke was the truth. Her mate had been the one to damage her and tried to kill her along with her unborn child. She was safe know and her body was healed up, but her mind would take some time to heal. Her mate had broken her mind and her heart and Da'dtou-di knew that he had to be the one to repair that damage, which would take much longer than her body.

"Thank you. What do I owe?" Sahara swallowed hard, not knowing what he had planned for her.

"You are to be my servant" Da'dtou-di said calmly and heard her gasp in horror.

"No, not that type of servant. I would never force myself onto an unwilling female. I prefer them warm and willing. I want you to help keep this ship clean, prepare meals for the crew, repair any crew member injuries, and keep out armor clean. None of my crew will lay a hand on you or harm you in any way. If they do, they have to answer to me and that is the last thing they want to do" Da'dtou-di chuckled as he watched Sahara look up at him and give a small smile and then quickly become serious again.

"I understand" Sahara answered calmly.

"Now, would you like a tour of your new home and for me to make introductions with the rest of the crew?" Da'dtou-di clicked as he held out a hand to help Sahara off of the medical. She was hesitant about accepting the kind gesture but reluctantly relented.

"I would like that very much" Sahara answered as she accepted his hand and was amazed at how warm his hand was and how gently he helped down.

"Females first" Da'dtou-di said as he opened the door and allowed Sahara to walk out first and he joined her side. He see that she was nervous and excited about seeing the rest of the ship, he just hoped that she would not become frightened when she saw him without his mask on.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After exiting the medical lab, Little Knife escorted Sahara down various corridors. He explained to her what each portion of the ship was used for. She asked many questions about different the different parts that she noticed, including the pipes and some wires.

As they were passing by one room that had an opened door, Sahara noticed that it was the kitchen and that two males were in there, attempting to cook breakfast but to her it seemed that they were doing a better job of burning it.

"As you can see, males are not very talented at cooking" Little Chuckled as he watched the two young bloods argue over who burned their breakfast.

"How about I get started in here first before they kill each other over starvation" Sahara stated as she walked into the kitchen and immediately took charge of the situation.

"What about seeing the rest of the rest of the ship?" Little Knife questioned, cocking his head to one side, as he watched Sahara start to clean up the mess and stack the dirtied dishes into the sink.

"You can show me the rest of it later, after I make the crew breakfast. It is probably best that I do this now before a riot ensues over empty bellies" Sahara stated as she began to feel comfortable and confident in her own element.

If it was the one place that Sahara felt as though she could do the best work, it was in the kitchen. It was here that she knew how to make miracles happen with very few ingredients and no assistance. The kitchen was a safe haven for her, even when Simon was angry with her, she could always run into the kitchen and he never dared to enter her sanctuary.

"Not a problem. I would actually prefer a decent meal for a change of pace" Little Knife chuckled.

He could not believe the dramatic change that came over Sahara. One minute, she was timid and as soon as she entered the kitchen, she became aggressive. Little Knife concluded that the kitchen represented a safe haven for her. It must have been a security blanket for her against her mate.

"Trust me, I can make a meal that will melt in your mouth and possibly make you fat" Sahara laughed with a large smile at the fact that Little Knife seemed to understand her need to be here.

"Then I should find some creative exercises to make sure that doesn't happen" Little knife said and then softly chuckled at the fact that Sahara did not seem to understand his meaning.

He knew that he shouldn't tease her but, she was very innocent and he was thoroughly enjoying himself with it. She may have experienced mating but, it was the wrong type of mating. As he saw it, she was still as innocent as the day she was born but she was not a maiden. If she was still a maiden, her body would fall under different rules and it would have been his duty to protect it from males such as her mate.

He tried to hide his humor when she ushered the two young bloods out of the kitchen, unless they planned on washing the dishes they dirtied. Neither of them wanted to, so they both agreed it was best for everyone that they vacated the kitchen before she actually followed through with her threat of making them clean the entire kitchen from top to bottom. It was technically their mess and the way Little Knife looked at it, it would actually do them some good for a change of pace instead of leaving a mess for the next Yautja to clean up.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER

Little Knife was sitting down at the long table and just admired the way Sahara scrubbed all the dishes before she started cooking. The scent of decently cooked meat flowed through the entire ship and practically every Yautja had followed the scent into the kitchen.

Sahara had somehow managed to create a meal from meat and fruits. Little Knife had watched as she taste-tested the cooking meal each time she added something new or more the same ingredients to the pot.

By the time Sahara turned around, she was pleasantly surprised by the fifteen crew members who sat patiently looking at her through the masks. She could just imagine their expressions being thankful but, then again, she still had not seen any of them without their masks on.

"It is probably a good thing that I made enough to feed an army. Who wants to assist me in setting the table? Sahara questioned as she looked at Little Knife. He seemed a little taken aback by her questioned. She could tell by just the way he slightly jumped back in his seat when she looked at him.

"I guess I can manage that request" Little Knife chuckled as he placed a hand on his chest, pretending that he didn't realize she was asking him for help.

It didn't take long before each Yautja had a wooden bowl and spoon placed in front of them. Sahara was prepared to deal with their appearances but was still shocked when they all removed their masks to eat. She could only describe their facial features as looking like a mutated crab. They had a small mouth surround by four large mandibles. Their heads were bald on top but all of them had long flowing black hair that was done in silky dreadlocks with silver bands wrapped around each lock.

"This is what we look like" Little stated as he stood in front of Sahara and slowly removed his mask.

"I understand but it still doesn't prepare one for the shock" Sahara said as she looked down at the metal floor.

"As I have said before, you have nothing to fear from anyone of us" Little Knife said as he placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her face to see him.

"I know" Sahara smiled when she saw the kindness lurking in Little Knife's amber colored eyes.

"Now, why don't you join us for breakfast" Little Knife said as he placed hand on her shoulders and used his other hand to show her an untaken seat next to his.

He watched as she sat down as he spooned out a large bowl of soup for her and handed her a spoon. Then he sat down next to her and began to eat as though he had not eaten in weeks. All of the crew ate like that. Some commented on the interesting combination of fruits and meat while others stated that this was better than their mothers' cooking. But, they all agreed that it was the best meal they had had since they left home three months ago.

Most of them ate seconds and some of them ate thirds. Sahara was warmed by their willingness to eat their breakfast and by all the wonderful comments that they made. But it was Little Knife's comment that made her heart skip a beat.

"I think you are right about it melting right in our mouths and possibly making us fat. You should open up your own shop in the city. I think you would do excellent and put all the other shops out of business. They would have to work for you" Little Knife said as he clicked his mandibles together and chuckled.

"Thank you" Sahara said as a few tears of happiness trailed down her cheeks.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

As Sahara cleaned up the large mess of bowls and eating utensils left by the crew members, Little Knife waited. He had every intention of taking Sahara back to Brave One so he could reexamine her body to make sure she was in good physical condition to work. He also wanted Brave One to make any recommendations on what Sahara should be doing for both her and the baby.

"Sahara, after you finish up here, I will need to take you to Brave One and have him check you over once more to make sure you and the baby are in good health" Little Knife stated as he walked over to the sink and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Alright, I understand" Sahara said as she looked up at Little Knife, still trying to adjust to his almost two foot height advantage over her.

For their overall size difference, she was amazed at herself for adjusting so well to Little Knife and his crew. They may be scary to look at but, they had good hearts and treated her very kindly. They showed her nothing but respect and admiration. But, that could be because she actually could cook and they could not. Either way, she enjoyed the fact that they were content to have her there.

Little Knife had to hand it to Sahara; she knew how to cook beyond being something that could just pass as food. It was the fact that she excelled beyond being just passable, she was excellent. She was probably one of the best that he had ever run across in his three hundred and fifty-five years of exploring the galaxy.

After she finished washing the dishes, Little Knife escorted her back down to the medical lab and found Brave One staring at the computer screen. He seemed to not even notice that they had entered the room until Little Knife began clicking his mandibles together. Brave One turned around and gave a brief nod to both of them.

"How are you feeling?" Brave One questioned as he stood up.

"I am feeling wonderful, especially after eating such a filling meal" Little Knife chuckled as he patted his full stomach.

"I was not asking you, my friend" Brave One commented with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, you weren't. I'm rather offended" Little Knife pretended with a little humorous tone in his voice.

"I was asking…Sahara, is it?" Brave One asked as he approached Sahara. He could not believe how tiny she was. He knew she was small when he saw her in the kitchen but, standing this close to her, she looked very diminutive. In his opinion, he didn't think that she could even lift a pot without injuring herself, but, she had already proven him wrong on that. He wondered if she could prove him wrong on other things as well.

"Yes, it is. You have a very good memory, Brave One" Sahara said with a smile.

"I have a long memory as well as being long-lived" Brave One said as he used his hand to gesture where he wanted Sahara to sit at.

The examination bed was fairly high up so Brave One lifted Sahara up onto it. He guessed her weight to be no more than a hundred pounds, if that. He was surprised that she had survived the beating the night before. She had an inner strength that went beyond skin deep.

"I am actually feeling quite well, given the circumstances" Sahara stated as she watched Brave One drag out some examination tools. She was a little confused because Little Knife had informed her on the way over to the lab that they only see body heat and were able to see inside a person.

"If you are going to ask, I actually have a mutation that enables me to see things the way your kind does. Hence the reason why I need these tools to examine you with" Brave One said as he noticed Sahara's curiosity as she examined the tools that he was lying out on a tray.

"Oh! Little Knife explained to me that your kind sees body heat but, he never told me that some of you can see as my kind can" Sahara said as she watched Little Knife sit in the chair in the corner and lean back.

"Yes, it does happen on occasion. Not too often though" Brave One as he had Sahara lie down on her back.

"I guess each species has their own type of mutations. Some good and some bad and some severe" Sahara mentioned as she felt Brave One try to make her as comfortable as possible for examination.

"True. Little Knife, maybe you should consider getting Sahara some clothes so she doesn't feel as though she is running around half naked" Brave One suggested as has hand moved over Sahara's flat stomach, attempting to feel the location of her fetus and her uterus. After locating them, he took one metal tool and laid it on her belly.

"What is that for?" Sahara asked as she felt the cool metal tool through her nightgown.

"You'll hear soon enough" Brave One said as he turned the tool on and heard the rhythmic sounds of her baby's heartbeat.

He saw a smile spread across her face as tears of joy formed in the corners of her eyes. He just then realized that her eyes were an odd shade of green. They were almost a glow-in-the-dark lime green color and vey bright.

"I'll see what I can conjure up in my closet. I might have something from my younger years that might fit. Just don't tell her any stories about my youth and how many embarrassing mistakes I made" Little Knife chuckled because he knew Brave One would probably have her laughing by the time he got back.

"Why would you ever think that I would do something like that?" Brave One chuckled as he watched Little Knife stand up and start to leave the lab.

"Because, I know you. I have known you for almost three hundred years and I know you will never change" Little Knife stated as he left the lab.

"Neither will you, old friend" Brave One growled loudly.

"Now, would you like to hear the story about how Little Knife inherited a female's name?" Brave One questioned.

"Little Knife's a girl's name!?" Sahara had to laugh on that one.

"Ah yes. It is. You see, when Little Knife's mother was pregnant with him, she stayed very small. Just to look at her, you would never have known she was carrying a child unless you saw her body heat and examined her womb closely. The thing of it is that she gave birth far too early with him and he was so small that no one thought that he would survive. But, his mother said that she would name him Little Knife because he was so small and she said giving birth to him it felt like a knife cutting her in two. So, now you see why it is he was given the name Little Knife" Brave One explained.

"That does make a lot of sense. But, to look at him now, you would never have known that he had started off on the wrong foot" Sahara said as she sat up so Brave One could examine her body now that he was done with her baby.

"True. When I first met him all those years ago, I thought it was a joke and laughed in his face over it. But, he proved me wrong by beating me in front of several others of our kind during a training session. We both were reprimanded for our conduct and since that time, we have been very close friends" Brave One stated as he finished examining Sahara and put all his tools away.

"How did you get your name?" Sahara questioned, feeling very comfortable with Brave One. She would have to say that Brave One was a very good storyteller because he could describe many things in detail and make them very entertaining.

"Ah, just to make things fair. I believe I shall tell you how he inherited his name" Little Knife stated as he walked into the lab with a few things thrown over one arm.

"When Brave One was born, he came into the world kicking and screaming. Which, he still does from time to time" Little Knife chuckled as he handed Sahara some clothes for her to change into.

"Thank you, Little Knife" Sahara smiled as she graciously accepted the clothing. It was a basic sapphire blue crushed velvet gown that was simply beautiful. The bodice was cut high just under the bust with a full skirt. There was also a white cotton chemise muslin. The chemise had very full and long sleeves.

"We'll turn around" Brave One stated, realizing that she wanted privacy in order to change. He ushered Little Knife to do the same. He gave a heavy sigh and turned around.

Sahara wasted no time and quickly shed her nightgown and underwear. She didn't want anything that reminded her of Simon touching her body again, except her child. She made a vow never to allow herself to feel anything but love for her child. She understood that it was not the baby's fault for any of this and that they would have a beautiful life together away from Simon.

She pulled the chemise over her head and then the dress. She felt more like herself now instead of something that had been rescued from a gutter. Now, she just wished something could be done with her butchered hair, but, only time would correct that mess.

"I'm done" Sahara said as she picked her old clothes up off the floor.

"Looks good. We can incinerate those if you wish" Brave One commented as he pointed toward a metal cylinder. Sahara didn't hesitate to throw them into the can and then turned to smile back at him.

"Thank you. Both of you" Sahara said as she looked up the both of them and smiled.

"You're welcome" they said at the same time.

"Sahara, I am going to give you an injection that contains vitamins and nutrients that you might end of lacking from the way our diets are. It will help to make up for what you are not receiving" Brave One said as he readied a syringe with a clear substance.

"Alright" Sahara said as she pushed her sleeve up to her shoulder and he quickly injected her. She winced a little from the burning sensation that it created.

"I would like to start you on a weekly regimen of these injections" Brave One said and Sahara nodded in compliance with his suggestion.

"Come, you should rest until it is time to make dinner" Little Knife stated as he escorted her out of the lab and down the hall.

"I would like that very much. Thank you again, Brave One" Sahara said as she followed Little Knife.

"You're welcome" Brave One said as he watched Sahara leave the lab.

"This is my room. I made you a pallet over there. I think you find it quite soft because I laid many pelts down for you" Little Knife stated as he showed her where the bed of pelts were lying at, directly across from his large pile.

Sahara noticed that they were fur, very thick fur pelts.

"Some of the crew donated a couple of pelts that they were not using to make sure that you could sleep comfortably" Little Knife stated as he watched Sahara sit down on her bed.

"And the dress?" Sahara questioned, never feeling anything more comfortable or inviting as this bed.

"My younger sister use to travel with me sometimes during the hunts and she left this one here. She has grown so much that she no longer is capable of wearing it" Little Knife said as he knelt down beside Sahara's bed.

"Ah, okay. Thank you again. I don't think I will ever be able to repay you and your crew for their kindness" Sahara said as she pulled back one of the pelts and slide under the cover.

"You are welcome. Now, rest" Little Knife encouraged as he helped her pull the blanket over her tiny body as she laid down.

Little Knife stood up and before he was even to the door, he looked back and saw that Sahara was fast asleep. He smiled to himself at the fact that she had adjusted so rapidly to her new life. Leaving the room, Little Knife felt a relief wash over him at the thought that he had not only saved one life but two lives at the same time.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

THREE MONTHS LATER

"Just five more minutes" Sahara whined as Little Knife attempted to shake her awake from her blissful slumber.

"You said that about ten minutes ago and I relented then but I am not now" Little Knife stated with a slight chuckle in his voice.

He had a hard time believing that Sahara had been on board this ship for three months and yet he knew that today made it exactly the third month. She had proven herself every single day that she was worthy of being on board and being able to mingle with the crew. Her horrible past was now a distant memory to her and she lived each day with a large smile on her face. She laughed more and conversed with the crew as though there was not a difference between them. Even the relationship between the two of them was growing but neither of them did anything because Little Knife knew that because she was still a servant and unblooded and Sahara because she was afraid of being hurt again, especially by someone as massive as him.

"I know but, sleep was feeling really good" Sahara stated as she sat up on her pelts and stretched her arms above her head.

She couldn't believe how much weight she had put on since she first arrived on board. Brave One had, at one point, informed her that she had gained about thirty pounds but he also stated that she had been very underweight when she first arrived. Brave One had explained that the weekly injections he was giving her helped her physically by replacing lost nutrients and vitamins. Sahara could have cared less about all that, just as long as her baby was healthy.

Another thing that everyone noticed was the fact that the injections had also made her hair grow very rapidly. Just three months ago, she was nearly bald from Simon's butcher job and now her hair hung down to the middle of her back. She had never seen hair grow that fast but, they all agreed that her having long hair again was much more attractive then her masculine hair cut. She chuckled when one of the younger ones made that comment.

"I know it was but, the crew and I are very hungry and can not wait to sample another one of your delicious meals" Little Knife stated as he watched

Sahara struggle to get out of bed, Her advancing pregnancy was making her feel a little awkward on attempting to stand. Little Knife reached down and grasped both of her hands, helping her to get to her feet.

He had not realized that he had pulled her that hard because she landed right in his arms. Sahara looked up at him as his hands rested on her waistline. Even through his mask, she could read him like a book. She felt his nervousness through his long fingers as he continued to stare at her through his mask, making his actual facial expressions impossible to read. She smiled up him as he looked down at her.

"Uh, breakfast would probably be a good idea" Sahara could barely breathe the words out as she placed her hands on his chest, trying to make some distance between them. She felt his muscles tense as her hands spread out across his chest. His breathing became shallow as she applied a bit more pressure to him.

"Ah, yes, breakfast" Little Knife was not sure as to what he was thinking while he was standing there but he knew that if he didn't place some distance between him and Sahara, he would get himself into more trouble than what it was worth.

But, then again, he knew that he would enjoy himself thoroughly and he knew he could get Sahara to enjoy it too. It would be the only way to erase the memory of what Simon did to her. But, would she have to be willing to submit to him for one night. And could he really just have one taste of her and walk away. No, he knew better than that. Especially with her only sleeping a few feet away from him.

He let her go, reluctantly. Little Knife left the room to give Sahara time to get dressed and put herself together for the morning. As he walked down the corridors, he saw Brave One approaching.

"Ah, I see our captain is out of his room but where is our dear little cook at? Don't tell me you finally had your way with her and are letting her sleep off the all night affair?" Brave One knew that discussing Sahara with Little Knife was a touchy subject for him. He also knew how to embarrass his friend just like he did.

Brave One knew that Little Knife was very attracted to Sahara. Not just because she was female but because she was probably the kindest individual any of them had ever known. She took excellent care of everyone on board the ship and had the respect of almost everyone, with the exception of his son. Xerces had yet to warm up to the little female and would not explain why. The only thing he ever said was that her scent was painfully familiar to him so he avoided her and Brave One accepted his answer.

"No, she was trying to sleep in but I would not allow her to" Little Knife tried not to let his emotions show but that was next to impossible when your best friend knew you better than you knew yourself.

"Ah. I understand..." Brave One gave Little Knife a hard pat on the back and chuckled.

Little Knife just sighed, knowing that there was no use in denying what his friend was saying but, nothing had transpired between the two of them and even Brave One knew that much. They had flirted around a bit but never went any further than that. The occasional foot massage that ended up with his hands sliding up her legs or a back rub that had his arms wrapping around her, just under her small but swollen breasts.

"Hi guys" Sahara said as she walked past Little Knife and Brave One and headed straight for the kitchen.

"We should be landing in your village soon. There are a couple of Bad Bloods causing a bit of a problem for your mother. I said we would help remove the problem" Brave One stated as he made his way to the kitchen.

"So, when did you become captain?" Little Knife laughed as he followed his friend into the kitchen.

"Well, I just thought you wouldn't mind considering she is your mother" Brave One stated as he sat down and placed his feet onto the table only to have a metal spoon come flying at his head, hitting one of his mandibles. He turned around to see Sahara glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

"My kitchen...my rules. No feet on the table. Now you're going to wipe down the table and all of the chairs and you had best have it done before the rest of the crew gets here" Sahara stated as she tossed a damp dish cloth at Brave One, it landed on top of his head, and went back to making breakfast.

"Sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed" Brave One grumbled as he removed the cloth from his head and then resigned himself to the task that Sahara had given him.

"Looks like your aim has improved dramatically since you came on board" Little Knife chuckled when he realized that his education of Sahara had paid off. He had been showing her a few attack moves that could be performed at a distance, he just didn't think a spoon would be used as a weapon but, then again, it was a great attention getting device when the crew was not listening.

"Yes, it has" Sahara laughed as she watched Brave One wipe down the chairs, letting loose a few quiet curses over his assigned task. She actually felt good about what she had done and the fact that she was in control for the first time in many years.

"By the way, Sahara, how would you feel about meeting my mother?" Little Knife asked as he watched her cook.

"I would like that very much. Why do you ask?"

"We will be arriving at my mother's village in a few hours, compliments of Brave One volunteering the crew. I figure that you could stay with my mother for a few days to be able get off the ship and converse with other females" Little Knife stated.

"Why can't I go with you and the rest of the crew?" Sahara questioned. Little Knife was always by her side and she wasn't sure how she could cope without him there and amongst a bunch of female strangers.

"I wish it were a safer mission that I could take you with us but, we will be hunting Bad Bloods. They are criminals that have been creating a problem for my mother and her village. The amount of destruction that they are causing is massive and I don't want anything to happen to you or our...I mean, your baby" He hadn't meant to say that last small bit. He was hoping that Brave One didn't hear it but he stuck his head above the table and snickered before resuming his task. He knew he would never hear the end of it.

Sahara had heard the small slip up on Little Knife's part and his quick correction. She was beginning to wonder if Little Knife already thought of her child as their child and if he did, what did that make her?

"I understand" Sahara said. Did she actually understand what was going on or not? Was meeting his mother part of making her his wife or was it something else? She wasn't for certain but she did need some time to sort out her feelings and get her mind back on track. She had been hurt once and she was not up for a repeat episode.

"Alright. After breakfast, just grab a couple changes of clothes and meet us over here. I'll have the crew do the cleaning for a change of pace" Little Knife stated as Sahara continued to work on breakfast. He knew his mother would take excellent care of Sahara and would protect her. His mother was not a mean female but one that commanded respect. He just hoped that no one would question him or Sahara as to their relationship status.

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it took me so long to get it up and going. Between work, kids, and back to school, it has been quite difficult to get more chapters written up. Many Cyber Hugs to all those who reviewed the previous chapters.


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